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Season of Reflection

by Kathy Ledbetter  
12/15/2016 / Devotionals

What is it about this season of Christmas that brings us to ponder loss? Is it the gathering of family? Is it the atmosphere of celebration? The missing loved ones? Is it loss of jobs and financial woes? Loss of relationships and broken homes? Or, illness that just does not let up? If we live long enough, we will experience the pause that Christmas brings. A time of reflection on the past. The losses and the victories. The beginning of a new year just on the horizon.

Why walk in a state of reflection and mourning? Certainly, mourning is a part of our lives in the loss of loved ones. We must have a season of mourning to allow our grief to come full circle. It is in that time, that God will reveal the sweet things about our walk through that process. Answers will often become obvious as we work our way through. But we can also find ourselves walking in that state over finances, lost relationships, lost jobs, illness and the strongholds and mistakes that have taken over our life. We can wake up every day in a down for the count state of mind. The what if this or that. Why me Lord? Why is this all happening now, to me?

Take heart! God has assured us through His word that He comforts us in ALL our troubles. Why? So that we can recognize and comfort those we meet in life, troubled in the same way. It gives us the ability to comfort with the compassion and comfort that we received from God. The person who has never experienced grief, cannot relate to a person who is in the midst of it. A person who has never had financial difficulty cannot understand the crushing weight of worry that comes with that situation. The person who has not dealt with illness cannot relate to the worry of continual health issues. The person who has not experienced a broken home, cannot relate to the loss of the family circle. The person who has never been broken from wrong decisions cannot begin to understand the peace that comes from a forgiving God. When we go through trials it is a fire of refining to prepare us to comfort others. To let them see the reflection of Christ in the face that has weathered the storms of trial and survived.

All of our life experiences produce in us a patient endurance to comfort and counsel others in similar situations. Take heart! I made it through by the grace of God! You will too! God will walk you through. We are meant to share in all things with our fellow men and women. The good times and the not so good. We share in the suffering that Christ endured on our behalf and we celebrate in the comfort that knowing Him brings. He overcame!! He defeated death and the enemy. The babe became a man, died and rose again. He lives!

Rise up out of the fear and worry of this day. The sun has risen. The trees and plants of winter are at rest with the trauma of Fall behind them. They are already preparing to emerge again in full blown beauty in the Spring. We to will survive the gray days of winter. The sun is always there though the days may seem overcast. Just because we cannot see the sun does not mean it is not there. Though we may not always see God in our situations, He is always there. God's blessings on all who walk in a state of reflection and mourning, whatever the reason.

~Scripture For Today~

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (NIV)

~Prayer For Today~

Hello Father! We praise Your holy name for the gift of grace, mercy and forgiveness. We pray Your blessing and high favor over those who are mourning, for the weary, for the burdened and lost. Help us share the gift of Your love, compassion and comfort that You have shown us in our times of trouble and loss. May we find the blessing that is Christmas midst the trials that we experience in this life. You came to earth as man so that we can make our way back to You. May we reflect your goodness and compassion. Forgive us for our sins. In Jesus' name. Amen.

2016 Kathy Ledbetter. All Rights Reserved.

I celebrate fifty years married to the love of my life in January 2017. We have two beautiful daughters, son-in-laws and four precious grandchildren. I love to study God's word and write about His love for us.

(C) 2015 Kathy Ledbetter All Rights Reserved
www.hellofatherdevotionals.com

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